Subsonic 35cal Boolits Advice

[Dinny]

I want to shoot lead boolits between 750fps and 900fps for urban deer hunting in my 357 Max. I plan to PC them and have been looking at these big bore air rifle bullets: Air Venturi's 190gr FP, Hunters Supply 212 BTFP and 190gr FP, Nielsen Specialty Ammo's 178gr swaged BTHP, and Mr. Hollowpoint's 220gr HP. For comparison I have also linked GT Bullets site where they states their alloy is 3-3-94 (12 BHN?)

BHN ratings:
Hunters Supply states 10 BHN
Nielsen states 6 BHN


https://www.airgundepot.com/air-vent...gr-100-ct.html
https://hunters-supply.com/air-358-3...fp-p-1972.html
https://hunters-supply.com/air-358-3...190-p-864.html
http://www.gtbullets.com/index.php?m...products_id=86
https://nielsenspecialtyammo.com/col...un-slug-swaged
http://www.mrhollowpoint.com/22-cal-...al--balls.html


So my questions are:
What should I expect when I try to PC soft lead?
Will the air rifle boolits withstand the stress of being "fired"?
Which would be best a FP or HP?
Is the Nielsen too soft even with PC?

Thanks, Dinny

[PBlover429]

At those velocities the pellets will work fine. No need to PC them a if they don't lead in air rifles they won't in yours. Some over powder buffering will ensure that. For your application (or any subsonic) the heavier the better. Urban deer is, perhaps, the only time head shots from close range are the best. If Bambi sprays blood all over little Susie's swing set, you will be in deep dodo.

[Outpost75]

I get the same ballistics firing Accurate 36-190T from my .38 S&W "Lettuce Protector" built by John Taylor.

Attachment 239882Attachment 239883Attachment 239884Attachment 239885Attachment 239886

.38 S&W Cartridge fired in 20-inch Rook Rifle

Factory loads:
R-P 146 LRN__________790,10
W-W 146 LRN_________801, 12

Accurate 36-190T cast 1:40 tin-lead

1.7 Bullseye________560, 23 Min. to Exit Barrel
2.1 Bullseye________681, 10
3.0 AutoComp______825, 16 Do Not Exceed
2.5 Bullseye________800, 11 Do Not Exceed

Getting uniform subsonic velocities from the .357 Max. will require a bulky powder like Trail Boss or Red Dot.

I chose to have a purpose-built "blooper" rifle in .38 S&W assembled after being unsatisfied with the accuracy of very light loads in the .357 Magnum. In the .38 S&W rifle for heavy-bullet, subsonic loads, John selected a 1:10" twist 9mm barrel, which gives the desired results and is quiet and accurate with the lightest loads which will exit the barrel, very much like a large caliber air rifle.

[INTRLOPER]

All the mass you can get while keeping bearing surface of the bullet a small as possible, that's where quiet is born. Your first and third link is what I would choose. A true Loverin style bullet with some serious meplat would be even better.

[McFred]

I recently picked up an MP RCBS 35-200 clone with a HP option. I cast some up with reclaimed range lead that runs around 12-14 BHN, drops about 197gr, sized to .358" and tumble lubed for use in a 20" 357SIG carbine. I haven't settled on a load yet, but so far I havent had any issues with leading loading around 8gr of Accurate No. 9 with an OAL of about 1.430". I'm pretty sure they shoot sub sonic, though I haven't had them over a chrony. I intended to run the velocity up, in your case, though, you should use a very bulky powder given the excess case capacity.

My 35-200's accuracy's not great at 100 yards; they're all on an sheet of typing paper using a one-power red dot sight, but this is my first session casting with the new mould and there's quite a bit of variation in the bullets sorting by the ogive and I had a lot of culls, that and I've never shot 200gr projectiles from a 357SIG either. I could just be behind the curve right now.

For hunting at 900fps or less muzzle velocity, I'd run as heavy a bullet as I could, as soft as I could maybe with a small hollow point. If no HP then as big a meplat as I could while being aware that flying soup cans have horrible BCs and impact velocity will be severely reduced at greater distances. You'll be needing as big a hole as possible in an animal to put down larger quarry. My 35-200s at 20 yards into filled milkjugs will shed the nose and have a 150gr "wadcutter" carry on deeper though the media.

I've never PCed anything but I cannot see what would be any different for soft lead over harder lead.

[rking22]

No need of pc or gas check at that velocity range. I agree with the heavy for caliber, good sectional density to carry on thru, makes the best use of the “bang”. NOE has a 230gr Ranch Dog design that is a 35 caliber version of the 165 30 caliber. Large meplat and good mass to use up that extra powder space in the max case.

[cwlongshot]

Watching!

That first one Dinny looks same as I sent you only my mold is a GC.


I like the looks of Mr HP 175 & 190 HP boolits my self

CW